Means for fixedly positioning a switch on a panel



Feb. 27, 1968 s. L. FRANK 3,371,180

MEANS FOR FIXEDLY POSITIONING A SWITCH ON A PANEL Filed June 24, 1966ATTORNEY United States Patent C 3,371,184) MEANS FGR FIXEDLY POSITIONINGA SWITCH ON A PANEL Stanley L. Frank, Beaver, Pa, assignor toWestinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pin, a corporation ofPennsylvania Filed June 24, 1966, Ser. No. 560,215 9 Claims. ((11.200-168) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved plate is provided forfixedly positioning a switch on a panel. An improved combinationcomprises a nameplate that cooperates with a switch structure and panelto prevent rotation of the switch structure on the panel.

It is old in the control art to mount a switch on a support panel bypassing a tubular threaded inner support member up through an opening inthe panel and screwing a clamp ring on the support member to draw aflange part of the support member toward the panel to a supportedposition. It is old to clamp a front nameplate between the clamp ringand the front of the support panel. At least two different prior-artconstructions have been used to prevent rotation of a switch on thepanel. In accordance with one prior-art construction a notch was formedin the inner support member and a notch was also formed in the supportpanel at the periphery of the opening in the support panel through whichthe inner support member was passed, and the nameplate was provided withtwo tab parts that projected into the two notches in order to preventrotation of the switch on the panel. This first prior-art type ofconstruction required an operation forming a slot in the panel at theperiphery of the opening in the panel through which the inner supportmember passed. In accordance with the second prior-art construction, aseparate opening was drilled in the panel in proximity to the openingthrough which the inner support member passed and a dowel pin was formedon the inner support member to fit into the separate openin on thesupport panel to prevent rotation of the switch on the panel. Thissecond prior-art type of construction required the formation of thedowel pin on the inner support member and also an operation forming theseparate hole in the panel. It is desirable to save the control panelbuilder the time and expense of forming either the slot in the panel ofthe first prior-art type of construction or the combination dowel pinand separate opening of the second prior-art type of construction.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide improved meansfor fixedly mounting a switch against rotation on -a control panel thatis provided, at the switch station, with only a single generallycircular opening therein through which part of the switch is passed.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved front platefor preventing rotation of a switch on a control panel.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved combinationcomprising a front plate and a switch structure that can be mounted on acontrol panel through a generally circular opening in the control panel,which switch structure and front plate will be automatically fixedagainst rotation when mounted on the panel.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved combinationcomprising a control panel, and a switch and front plate combinationmounted on the control panel in a fixed position.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description sauna Patented Feb. 27, 1968when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view taken along the line II of FIG. 3 with afront clamp ring that is not shown in FIG. 3 being shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the parts being shown inpositions reached before the clamp ring is tightened down;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the switch of FIG. 1 with the front clampring removed;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the front nameplate of FIG. 3, whichnameplate is rotated in a counterclockwise direction from the positionseen in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown, in FIG. 1, a controlstructure 3 comprising a switch 5 and a front nameplate 7, which switchand nameplate are mounted on a panel or supporting plate 9. Thesupporting plate 9 is a flat generally planar plate member of rigidmaterial such as sheet steel. A circular opening 11 is formed in theplate 9. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 the plate 9 is provided with arelatively sharp right-angle upper corner around the periphery of theopening 11.

The switch 5 comprises a contact block 15 and a switch operator 17. Thecontact block 15 comprises a molded in sulating housing 19 that issecured to a flange 21 of a metallic inner support member 23 of theswitch operator 17 by a plurality of screws (not shown). A pair ofconducting straps 21 are suitably supported on the contact block 19. Theconducting straps 21 are generally U-shaped members and each is providedwith a stationary contact 24 on one leg thereof and a terminalconnecting screw 25 on the other leg thereof. The screws 25 are used toconnect conductors to the conducting members 21. A bridging conductingcontact member 27 is movably supported in suitable slots on theinsulating housing 19 of the block. A pair of movable contacts 29 aresupported on the opposite ends of the bridging member 27. Suitable means(not shown) bias the conductor 27 in an upward position to thecontact-closed position seen in FIG. 1. An insulating operator 31 issupported on the contact block 15 for vertical reciprocal movement. Inoperation the insulating op erator 31 is moved downward to force thebridging contact member 27 downward to open the contacts 24, 29. Uponrelease of the operator 31, suitable biasing means will force thebridging member 27 and operating member 31 up to the contact-closedposition seen in FIG. 1.

The inner support member 23, of the switch operator 17, is a metallictubular member comprising a flange part 21 and an integral uppercylindrical externally threaded part 35. The upper part 35 of the innersupport member 31 is provided with a well-opening 37 open at the frontand an opening 39 through the center thereof for receiving a rod portion41 of a push-button operator 43. The push-button operator 43 is providedwith an inner disk shaped plate member 45, at the inner end thereof,that engages the operator 31 of the contact block 15 to operate theoperator 31 upon depression of the push-button op erator 43. A spring 47is provided in the well opening 37 of the inner support member 23. Thespring engages the top portion of the push-button 43 at the upper endthereof and a spring support 47 at the lower end thereof. A sealinggasket 49 is provided on the inner support member 23 between the supportmember 23 and spring support 47 to prevent the passage of oil into theswitch at the installation. The spring 47 biases the push-button 43 tothe upper position seen in FIG, 1. A sealing gasket 51 is providedbetween the flange 21 of the inner support member 23 and the lowersurface of the support plate 9. A clamp ring 53 is provided with aninternally threaded por- *2 tion 55 that cooperates with the externalthreads 57 of the inner support member 23.

When it is desired to mount the switch 5 on the panel or support plate 9the switch, with the clamp ring 53 removed, is moved up through theopening 11 in the support plate 9. Thereafter, the nameplate or frontplate 7 is moved axially down over the upper threaded tubular part ofthe inner support member 23 to engage the front of the support plate 9.The clamp ring 53 is then screwed onto the upper part 35 of the innersupport member 23 to draw the support member 23 upward squeezing theO-ring 51 between the flange 21 and the undersurface of the supportplate 9 and squeezing the front plate 7 downward into engagement withthe front surface of the support plate 9. When the clamp ring 53 istightened the switch 5 is fixedly supported on the support plate 9 withthe gaskets 4-9, 51 providing an oil tight seal to prevent the passageof oil into the panel structure.

Improved means is provided for preventing rotation of the switch 5 onthe panel or support plate 9 during the mounting operation when theclamp ring 53 is rotated to the tightened position and for fixedlymaintaining the switch 5 on the panel 9 against rotation when the clampring 53 is in the tightened position. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 it willbe noted that the nameplate or front plate member 7 is a flat planarmember having circular opening 57 therein. The diameter of the opening57 is a dimension a. The plate 7 is a member of metal softer than themetal of the support plate 9. In one successfully used application themember 7 is an aluminum member and the member 9 is a rigid steel member.The front plate 7 is formed with two tabs 59 that extend within theperiphery of the circular opening 57 and that are bent over from theflat planar main body part 61 of the plate 7 at a angle from the planeof the main body part 61. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the dimensionbetween the closest edges of the tabs 59 is a dimension b. The dimensionbetween the parts of the lower fiat surface of the main body part 61where the tabs 59 are bent over (the inner corners as seen in FIG. 5) isa dimension 0. As can be seen in FIGS. 1-3 (the clamp ring 53 is notshown in FIG, 3) the upper tubular threaded part 35 of the inner supportmember 23 is provided with four slots 65 which are cast into member 49before machining of the threads 57. The slots 65 extend vertically inthe direction parallel to the axis of the tubular member 23. As can beseen in FIG. 3, each of the four slots 65 comprises a back wall 67 andtwo side walls 69. Each of the slots is open at the top or front. As canbe seen in FIG. 2, the circular opening 11 in the support plate 9 isprovided with a dimension d and the opening is cut such that there is asharp right angle corner around the front periphery of the opening. Itis also to be noted that in FIG. 2 that the dimension or diameter of theinner support member 23 between the apexes of the threads 57 is adimension e. The diameter or dimension between the back wall 67 of eachpair of opposite slots 65 is a dimension f.

As was previously set forth, when the switch 5 and front plate 7 aremounted on the supporting plate 9 the inner support member 23 is movedup through the opening 11 in an axial direction from the underside ofthe panel 9. The dimension d (FIG. 2) of the opening 11 is larger thanthe dimension 2 of the inner support member 23 so that the member 23 canbe freely moved upward in an axial direction into the opening 11.Thereafter, the front plate 7 is moved axially down over the tubularthreaded part 35 of the inner support member 23 to the position seen inFIG. 2. The dimension a (FIG. 4) of the front plate 7 is larger than thedimension e (FIG. 2) of the inner support member 23 so that the frontplate 7 can be freely moved axially down into the position seen in FIG.2. The tab parts 59 of the front plate 7 move within two opposite slots65 of the inner support member 23 when the front plate 7 is moved ontothe inner support member 23. The dimension b (FIG. 5) of the front plate'7 is greater than the dimension 1 (FIG. 2) of the inner support member23 so that the tabs 59 can move down in the slots 65. The dimension 1)(FIG. 5) of the front plate 7 is less than the dimension e (FIG. 2) ofthe inner support member 23 so that the tabs 59 will engage the sideWalls 69 of the opposite slots 65 to prevent relative rotationalmovement between the front plate 7 and the switch 5. The dimension c(FIG. 5) of the front plate 7 is greater than the dimension d (FIG. 2)of the opening 11 of the support plate 9 so that the upper corner aroundthe periphery of the openings 11 will engage the tabs 59 at the slantedangle parts of the lower surfaces of the tabs 59 (FIG. 2) to prevent thefront plate 7 from settling down flatwise on the front of the supportplate 9 when the front plate 7 is moved to the position seen in FIG. 2.It will be seen in FIG. 2 that if further pressure is applied to thefront plate 7 the upper corner of the periphery of the opening 11 of therigid steel supporting plate 9 will tend to force the tabs 59 to astraightened position. It is to be noted, however, that the dimension fbetween the back walls 67 of the opposite slots 65 is large enough,relative to the dimension b between the tabs, that the closest cornersor edges of the tabs 59 will engage the back walls 67 to preventstraightening of the bent over tabs 59. Thus, as the clamp ring 53 istightened down against the front plate 7 the upper corner of the rigidsteel support plate 9, at the periphery of the opening 11, will dig intothe relatively soft aluminum of the tabs at the lower slanted surfacesof the tabs 59 causing the aluminum metal to fiow to provide a tightfrictional engagement between the front plate 7 and the support plate 9in the position seen in FIG. 1. This frictional engagement between thefront plate '7 and the support plate 9 with the front corner, at theperiphery of the opening '11, of the supporting plate 9 cutting into thelower slanted surfaces of the tabs 59 of the front plate 7 will preventrelative rotation between the front plate 7 and the supporting plate 9as the clamp ring 59 is rotated to a tightened position, and thisengagement will prevent relative rotation between the front plate 7 andsupporting plate 9 after the clamp ring 53 is in the tightened position.With the tabs 59 serving to prevent relative rotation between the switch5 and the front plate 7, and with the tabs 59 serving to preventrelative rotation between the front plate 7 and the support plate 9, itcan be understood that the tabs 59 serve to prevent relative rotationbetween the switch 5 and the support plate 9 Thus, the switch 5 isfixedly mounted on the panel 9 against rotation in a circular opening 11on the panel 9. The main body part 61 of the nameplate or front plate 7in practice can be marked with suitable indicia such as start and stop.Moreover, the trademark of the switch or other information can beprinted on the nameplate or front plate 7. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and3, part of the main body part 61 of the front plate 7 is outside thefront elevational view dimensions of the switch 5 where indicia, thatmay be printed thereon, will be visible from the front of the controlpanel.

The push-button 5 shown in the drawings is operated by depressing thepart 43 of the operator 17 against the bias of the spring 47 to move theoperator 31 and bridging contact member 27 downward opening the contacts23, 29. Upon release .of the push-button 43 the spring 47 moves thepush-button operator 17 upward to the position seen in FIG. 1 and thesuitable biasing means (not shown) returns the operator 31 and thebridging contact member 27 upward to the contact-closed position seen inFIG. 1. The switch 5 can be any of a number of standard types ofswitches. For some applications, the switch can comprise a rotatableoperator. For example, the switch 5 could be a rotary switch of the typedisclosed in the patent to S. L. Frank et al. Patent No. 2,798,908,issued I uly 9, 1957. Another type of switch that could be readily usedin the improved combination is a rotary selector push-button switch .ofthe type disclosed in the patent to J. Mullen, Patent No. 3,170,995,issued February 23, 19 5.

From the foregoing, it can 'be understood that there is provided by thisinvention improved means for fixedly mounting a switch on a supportplate. The inner support member of the switch is passed through acircular opening in the support plate and a clamp ring is screwed ontothe inner support member at the front side of the support plate tosandwich a front plate between the clamp ring and the front side of thesupport plate. The front plate cooperates with the switch and supportplate to prevent relative rotation between the switch and support plate.

Since changes may be made in the above-described construction, andbecause different embodiments of the invention may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intendedthat all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in theaccompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination,

a switch operator comprising an inner support member and a front clampring, said inner support member comprising a tubular externally threadedpart and an inner flange part, said tubular externally threaded part ofsaid inner support member having a notch at the external part thereofopen at the upper part of said tubular externally threaded part whichnotch provides a gap in the threads of said externally threaded part,

a front plate for fixedly positioning said switch operator on a supportplate, said front plate comprising a generally flat generally planarmain body part having a front side and a back side, said main body parthaving an opening therein, said front plate comprising a tab part bentover inward from said main body part at said opening at an angle lessthan 90 from the front plane of said main body part, said front platebeing constructed with said opening of such dimension relative to thediameter of said externally threaded part to permit said front plate tobe moved axially onto said tubular externally threaded part with saidtab part moving in said notch, said front clamp ring having internalthreads for cooperating with said tubular externally threaded part,

said front plate and said inner support member being constructed andarranged such that when said inner support member is passed up throughan opening in a support plate and when said front plate is moved intothe mounted position on the front end of said inner support member andwhen said clamp ring is thereafter screwed onto the front of said innersupport member to sandwhich said front plate between said clamp ring andsaid support plate and to draw said flange part up toward said supportplate to thereby mount said switch and front plate on said support platesaid tab part will engage said 'back wall of said notch to preventstraightening of said tab part whereby a slanted surface of said tabpart will be forced against a corner of said support plate at theperiphery .of the opening in said support plate to provide an engagementbetween said front plate and said support plate that will preventrotation of said front plate relative to said support plate,

and said tab part in said notch preventing relative rotation betweensaid inner support member and said front plate whereby when said switchand front plate are mounted on said support plate said front plate willprevent relative rotation between said switch and said support plate.

2. The combination according to claim 1, and said tab part extendinginward from the plane of said main body part of said front plate at anangle of between 10 and from the front plane of said main body part.

3. The combination according to claim 2, said inner support memberhaving a pair of said notches therein, said front plate having a pair ofsaid ta-b parts cooperating in said notches and adapted to cooperatewith said support plate to prevent relative rotation between said switchoperator and said support plate, and each of said tab parts extendinginward from the plane of said main body part of said front plate at anenagle .of between 30 and 60 from the front plane of said main bodypart.

4. The combination according to claim 1, a support plate having anopening therein and supporting said front plate and switch operator atsaid opening, said front plate comprising a member of material that issofter than the material of said support plate, said front plate, saidswitch operator and said support plate being constructed and arrangedsuch that with said clamp ring screwed down on said tubular externallythreaded part of said inner support member an edge of said support plateat the periphery of said support plate opening engages the lower slantedsurface of said tab part and digs into the lower slanted surface of saidtab part to prevent relative rotation between said front plate and saidsupport plate.

5. The combination according to claim 4, and said tab part extendinginward from the plane of said main body part at an angle of between 10and 80 from the front plane of said main body part.

6. The combination according to claim 4, said inner support memberhaving a pair of said notches therein, said front plate having a pair ofsaid tab parts cooperating in said notches and with said support plateto prevent relative rotation between said switch operator and saidsupport plate, and each of said tab parts extending inward from theplane of said main body part of said front plate at an angle of between30 and 60 from the front plane of said main body part.

7. The combination according to claim 6, and said front plate comprisingan indicia-receiving identification part at the front surface of themain body part thereof which indicia-receiving identification part isoutside of the frontelevational-view dimensions .of said switchoperator.

8. A combnation according to claim 1, said opening in said main bodypart being a generally circular opening, and said tab part extendingwithin the periphery of the circle of said opening and inward from saidmain body part at an angle of between 20 and 70 from the front plane ofsaid main body part.

9. A combination according to claim 8, a support plate having an openingtherein and supporting said front plate and switch operator at saidopening, said front plate comprising a member of material that is softerthan the material of said support plate, said front plate said switchoperator and said support plate being constructed and arranged such thatwith said clamp ring screwed down on said tubular externally threadedpart of said inner support member an edge of said support plate at theperiphery of said support plate opening engages the lower slantedsurface of said tab part and digs into the lower slanted surface of saidtab part to prevent relative rotation between said front plate and saidsupport plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1936 Marty et al 200l67 1/1962Mullen et al 200l68

